Business and Development Reports

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Permits and licenses play an important part in guiding development and helping ensure we are achieving the safe, inclusive, and vibrant city envisioned in the Municipal Development Plan (MDP). Establishing predictable, transparent service levels is part of ensuring there is clear language between Planning and Development Services and the development community.

City Administration utilizes staff review time as the Level of Service measure. The City of Medicine Hat aims to meet the identified Levels of Service for processing times within 80% of the target time.

The Municipal Government Act (MGA) indicates the following as acceptable timeframes for Statutory Review by a Development Authority:

• To determine if application is complete: 20 calendar days of staff time
• For complete development review: 40 calendar days of staff time

A complete application includes the information required for the initial technical review (as provided in the minimum submission guidelines for each application type).

To avoid processing delays, applicants are encouraged to involve a professional (i.e. contractor, architect, engineer) to ensure that their application submissions are complete.

When an application is submitted to Planning and Development Services, the processing time begins once staff determines that the application is complete, and the required fees are paid.

Application processing times are measured in business days. It is the time period from when a complete application is submitted/paid to when the decision is made.

City Administration utilizes the staff review time as the Level of Service measure. The City of Medicine Hat aims to meet the identified Levels of Service for processing applications 80% of the time.

Development Permits

• For Detached House, Semi-Detached Housing, Duplex Housing and Triplex Housing: 10 business days (80% of the time)
• For Residential Accessory Buildings: 10 business days (80% of the time)
• For Backyard Suite, Secondary Suite or Home Business: 15 business days (80% of the time)
• For Change of Use: 15 business days (80% of the time)
• For new Commercial or Industrial Development: 60 business days (80% of the time)
• For Row Housing or Multiple Unit Housing: 60 business days (80% of the time)

Building Permits

• 15 business days (80% of the time)

Note: More complex projects involve more review which could result in more staff time required.

Trades Permits

•  15 business days (80% of the time)

Trades Permit Inspections

•  2-3 business days (80% of the time)

Business Licenses

• 15 business days (80% of the time)

Note: If additional approvals or review are required (i.e. by law or as per Land Use Bylaw), more staff time may be required.

This initiative addresses priorities 1 and 3 of Council’s 2024 revised strategic plan. The intent is to enhance organizational capacity for efficient service delivery by inventorying and defining current service levels and identifying and measuring desired levels to proactively improve community outcomes.

The reports below show actual processing time of various types of applications that were within target application processing times.

As quarterly updates occur, data will evolve over time to provide more comprehensive analysis of PDS overall performance review.

Q1 2025 Review times